


from life

by Anxiety_Elemental



Series: McGenji Week 2019 [7]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Long-Distance Relationship, M/M, Post-Recall
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-28
Updated: 2019-07-28
Packaged: 2020-07-09 11:26:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19886839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anxiety_Elemental/pseuds/Anxiety_Elemental
Summary: “Jesse McCree told me about the Recall,” Echo explains, and Genji perks up at the mention of Jesse’s name, “He is a friend of mine, he told me how to find you.”Prompt: Unfamiliar territory





	from life

**Author's Note:**

> The last one!
> 
> There are no content warnings for this fic.

_“I’m detecting an omnic approaching the base,”_ Athena announces, interrupting the training sim, the bot Genji was about to slice in half stopping in its tracks, _“They are moving at great speed.”_

“Who is it?” Lena asks Athena, then glances over at Zenyatta.

_“...I don’t know,”_ Athena says, _“There are no records of this type in my database.”_

An unknown model is unheard of. Modified sure, but a completely new kind of omnic?

“Everyone outside right now!” Winston shouts, and the rest of the team runs.

The Recalled Overwatch gathers outside the gates, weapons at the ready. Ahead, over the water, there is a bright white speck, like a shooting star. It slows down as it draws near, drifting towards the ground, and resolving into a mechanical humanoid form. As one, everyone assembled points their weapons at it.

The omnic has a feminine design, a sleek white chassis, and a blue, holographic face. Genji’s never seen anyone like her before.

“Hello, I mean you no harm,” the omnic says, calm and friendly, “I am Echo, and I wish to join Overwatch.”

“Oh!” Winston says, nearly dropping his Tesla cannon, embarrassed that he’d been pointing a weapon at a potential recruit, “That’s uh, good to hear! How did you find us?”

“Jesse McCree told me about the Recall,” Echo explains, and Genji perks up at the mention of Jesse’s name, “He is a friend of mine, he told me how to find you.”

“Does that mean McCree is here too?” Genji asks, a little too quickly.

“No,” Echo shakes her head with a sad frown, “He said he had unfinished business.”

Winston is openly disappointed, but then he schools his expression and lops over to Echo, his smile returned, “Well, we’re glad to have you!” he extends a hand, “Welcome to Overwatch, Echo! Could you tell us about yourself? What is your speciality?”

“It will be best if I show you,” Echo says, smiling gently.

\---

Fifteen minutes later the training room is covered in the shattered remains of all the training bots they had in storage. By contrast, Echo stands amidst the wreckage, pristine and patiently waiting for the onlookers to comment.

There’s a variety of reactions from the observers: Winston just stares with his mouth open, Lena is cheering, and Zenyatta’s silence is thoughtful.

Genji laughs, because of course McCree somehow managed to find and befriend the most dangerous omnic any of them had ever seen.

\---

That night, after the base has prepared to sleep and setup the night watch, Genji sits alone in his room, and turns on the six year old comms.

There’s always a tense moment, when he first pings Jesse’s communicator. The blinking light, like a heartbeat, waiting for a connection.

There is always a moment where he’s afraid nothing will happen. That across the world, a sun has been snuffed out, and the little yellow light will just keep blinking, until the battery wears out and the line goes dark forever.

It’s always a relief when the light stops blinking, turns green, and beeps quietly as it connects.

_“Hey there,”_ says Jesse’s voice, distorted by static.

“Hey,” Genji echoes, “Is this a good time?”

_“Sure,”_ Jesse says, _“How’re things going over there?”_

“We met Echo today,” Genji says, shifting in bed to lay down more comfortably, “She arrived at the base this afternoon. She told us you sent her, and she’s officially joined Overwatch.”

_“Good to hear. She’s something else, ain’t she?”_ Jesse’s voice is soft and fond, _“She’s just what Overwatch needs.”_

Genji feels a brief, bitter flash of jealousy. He takes a moment to close his eyes and take a deep breath. He lets himself acknowledge the feeling, he is jealous that Jesse would speak in such a way about Echo but not with him, and lets the thoughts pass. It is not fair to expect to be the only important person in Jesse’s life.

“You are not answering the recall,” Genji says.

_“No,”_ Jesse says, and Genji can’t quite pin down the emotion in his voice, _“Ya’ll don’t need me. Echo can do more for you than I ever could.”_

“I do not see why the two of you must be mutually exclusive,” Genji counters, “Could you not have accompanied her?”

_“She ain’t the one with a big ass bounty on their head,”_ Jesse argues, _“Figured she’d have an easier time getting back without me weighing her down.”_

“You are missed,” Genji says, “Winston was disappointed you weren’t coming. Lena was sad when Echo said you wouldn’t be joining us. Zenyatta was hoping to meet you too.”

_“They’ll be fine,”_ Jesse says. He’s trying to brush it off, but this time Genji thinks he hears unease in Jesse’s voice, _“You’ll see. It’ll all work out for the best.”_

“It was not your fault,” Genji says, he’s taking a leap of faith, but he thinks he knows Jesse well enough to know what’s troubling him, “What happened. If you had been at the base you likely would have died with the Commander and the rest.”

_“...You got real perceptive up on that mountain,”_ Jesse says.

“And... I miss you,” Genji says, as if he’s saying something else.

He’s wandering into unfamiliar territory. They both are. What do either of them know about softness? About being vulnerable and open to another person? Their lives never allowed for such things, and through Zenyatta, Genji is only just beginning to see the shape of what it may look like for them.

_“...Miss you too,”_ Jesse says, in the same way.

“You do not have to tell me what it is that is keeping you away,” Genji says, “But I would like to see you again. One day.”

He will not make Jesse promise. Not with the lives they lead.

_“I do have some things need taking care of,”_ Jesse says, _“That ain’t a lie. But after that, maybe.”_

“We would be glad to have you home,” Genji says.

_“That sounds nice.”_

\---

(They meet again later, as different people, ready for different lives.)

**Author's Note:**

> “In a world like this, it can be hard to have hope... But I’m here Dreamers. To help you pierce that false fog. We’ll chase it away with acts of beauty and, succeed, or fail, face the foe eyes open. As someone once said: If nothing saves us from death, may love at least save us from life.”
> 
> \- [ Nora Night](https://youtu.be/JkwdRGagAGQ?t=133), original end quote by [Pablo Neruda](https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/573751-if-nothing-saves-us-from-death-at-least-love-should).


End file.
